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Topic: Prayer Book Collection (Read 33137 times)

When I was first getting into Orthodoxy I was looking for the right prayer book. I've seen others on here doing the same. Over the past two years I've develouped a collection. That collection is slowly growing as well. So, I'm going to post here a list of what I have, and if anyone has questions about them, I can answer them. I'll take pictures if they are requested as well. I've noticed too a lack of those.

I encourage anyone else with books that I don't have listed here to help out!

Conquer evil men by your gentle kindness, and make zealous men wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion. With the afflicted be afflicted in mind. Love all men, but keep distant from all men.—St. Isaac of Syria

When I was first getting into Orthodoxy I was looking for the right prayer book. I've seen others on here doing the same. Over the past two years I've develouped a collection. That collection is slowly growing as well. So, I'm going to post here a list of what I have, and if anyone has questions about them, I can answer them. I'll take pictures if they are requested as well. I've noticed too a lack of those.

I encourage anyone else with books that I don't have listed here to help out!

I'd like to ask - what is your impression of the Publican's Prayer Book? Does it have a lectionary inside, and also any of the other services (compline/vespers/matins), and also pre- and post-communion prayers? Also, between it, and the HTM prayer book, and the Jordanville book, which would you recommend for a catechumen? I'd prefer, if possible, to have just 1 prayer book, rather than a collection haha. Finally, is it worth the $36, as compared to other, cheaper prayer books, again such as the HTM/Jordanville ones?

I'd like to ask - what is your impression of the Publican's Prayer Book? Does it have a lectionary inside, and also any of the other services (compline/vespers/matins), and also pre- and post-communion prayers? Also, between it, and the HTM prayer book, and the Jordanville book, which would you recommend for a catechumen? I'd prefer, if possible, to have just 1 prayer book, rather than a collection haha. Finally, is it worth the $36, as compared to other, cheaper prayer books, again such as the HTM/Jordanville ones?

Thank you so much.

No, to lectionary. Yes, to pre and post-Communion prayers. It contains the expectd Canons and Akathists but no services of the Horologion. I would say it is worth it, is well put together and has more material than HTM/Jordanville and is in modern English. It is Melkite Catholic, I don't know if that is a draw back for you.

The Publican’s Prayer book, I like the look of it. It’s a great size, the printings nice, the binding excellent. The paper quality is also nice. Some of the images are pixilated pretty badly. I don’t know how they let that pass when everything else is done so well, but it’s not that important, I suppose. It has pre and post communion prayers and a good collection of canons and akathists. It’s a nice looking and reading book all around. That being said, this is a Melkite Greek Catholic prayer book. That is they are in communion with Rome and the book has some prayers for the Pope in it. I’m not sure if all the feasts listed in this book are orthodox, either. I like this book, but you should get permission from your Spiritual Father or Priest before you use it in your rule.I think between the HTM, Jordanville and the Publicans, I would advise the first two for a catechumen. Slavic parish? Go for the Jordanville (though I am not impressed with the binding. I find it hard to use and the pages didn’t hold up very well against my thumb. Needs to be looser and bigger). The SVIT is also nice. Greek parish? Go for the HTM prayer book. I used that one when I was a catechumen. My issue with that book is that is only has Small Compline instead of evening prayers. I would prefer it to have both. However… Antiochian parish? Go for their prayer book. The larger one I have used, but don’t have a copy of. It was lovely.I hope this helps. Any more questions or want for me to be more specific on anything, let me know. I can take pictures, too.

No, to lectionary. Yes, to pre and post-Communion prayers. It contains the expectd Canons and Akathists but no services of the Horologion. I would say it is worth it, is well put together and has more material than HTM/Jordanville and is in modern English. It is Melkite Catholic, I don't know if that is a draw back for you.

Thank you . Drat, lol. I don't know if it being Melkite Catholic would be a drawback or not - I don't think so and I can't deny I really like the prayer book. I know there's a prayer for the Pope of Rome but that could simply not be prayed, or prayed, or replaced with a prayer for my Metropolitan, or something else maybe, so I don't think that's an issue. I guess I do wonder, though, if the feasts/saints and their dates would coincide with one another, because for now, I'm still trying to understand the calendar of the Church and navigate my way around it so I think it might help to find one that's consistent and go from there, if that makes sense?

The Publican’s Prayer book, I like the look of it. It’s a great size, the printings nice, the binding excellent. The paper quality is also nice. Some of the images are pixilated pretty badly. I don’t know how they let that pass when everything else is done so well, but it’s not that important, I suppose. It has pre and post communion prayers and a good collection of canons and akathists. It’s a nice looking and reading book all around. That being said, this is a Melkite Greek Catholic prayer book. That is they are in communion with Rome and the book has some prayers for the Pope in it. I’m not sure if all the feasts listed in this book are orthodox, either. I like this book, but you should get permission from your Spiritual Father or Priest before you use it in your rule.I think between the HTM, Jordanville and the Publicans, I would advise the first two for a catechumen. Slavic parish? Go for the Jordanville (though I am not impressed with the binding. I find it hard to use and the pages didn’t hold up very well against my thumb. Needs to be looser and bigger). The SVIT is also nice. Greek parish? Go for the HTM prayer book. I used that one when I was a catechumen. My issue with that book is that is only has Small Compline instead of evening prayers. I would prefer it to have both. However… Antiochian parish? Go for their prayer book. The larger one I have used, but don’t have a copy of. It was lovely.I hope this helps. Any more questions or want for me to be more specific on anything, let me know. I can take pictures, too.

Having spoken with the priest I hope will be my Father-Confessor, I asked him which tradition we follow and it turns out it's the Russian tradition, so for that the Jordanville as I understand would likely be more in line with the terminology we use in the Liturgy and the language of the prayers (I like using thee and thou as I find their rarity in my daily use to indicate respectfulness which I think is a good thing when praying haha). However, I could deal with modern English. I asked him which he uses, and he said that he recommends the HTM one, but that the Jordanville one is also good. I don't know if he'd consent to my using the Publican Prayer Book, though, and am not sure if it can be justified haha.

Does the HTM one have a lectionary, and what happens with the small Compline? I assume that replaces the "standard" evening prayers? Also, it says it includes the Vespers and Matins services, but what about the variable parts? As in, is it enough of the service that you can pray it on your own, time/circumstances allowing? Does it have a replacement prayer for when one cannot attend the Liturgy? Does it have pre-post Confession prayers? Finally, does it include nice "tidbits" about the practices of the Church, as the Publican one seems to?

Taking a peek, neither the Jordanville nor the HTM books have lectionaries. I’m presently uploading pictures from both books, especially the table of contents.One thing I like is that both use ‘Rejoice’ in the Akathist to the Theotokos, rather than ‘Hail.’ Just a personal preference.

I haven't found it yet, lolI kind of want to publish my own. One for each jurisdiction with (Greek/Slavic/Ukrainian/lolcat, whatever) on one side and English on the other. It would be hard bound with loose pages in a decent size, available in leather for the fancy folks.

Even better "Build your own Prayer Book" with all the common prayers and such in whatever languages and binding you want... with ribbons. 400 ribbons! GOA? We have there versions. Old Beliver? Check! OCA but your hearth belongs to ROCOR? We can do that!

I haven't found it yet, lolI kind of want to publish my own. One for each jurisdiction with (Greek/Slavic/Ukrainian/lolcat, whatever) on one side and English on the other. It would be hard bound with loose pages in a decent size, available in leather for the fancy folks.

Even better "Build your own Prayer Book" with all the common prayers and such in whatever languages and binding you want... with ribbons. 400 ribbons! GOA? We have there versions. Old Beliver? Check! OCA but your hearth belongs to ROCOR? We can do that!

^___^

That is a neat idea.

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He said he had a horrible houseI looked in it and learnt to shut my mouth

I haven't found it yet, lolI kind of want to publish my own. One for each jurisdiction with (Greek/Slavic/Ukrainian/lolcat, whatever) on one side and English on the other. It would be hard bound with loose pages in a decent size, available in leather for the fancy folks.

Even better "Build your own Prayer Book" with all the common prayers and such in whatever languages and binding you want... with ribbons. 400 ribbons! GOA? We have there versions. Old Beliver? Check! OCA but your hearth belongs to ROCOR? We can do that!

^___^

That is a neat idea.

And in the age of electronic files, not even that hard!

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'Evil isn't the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as evil, maybe more so, and it's a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against stupid. That might actually make a difference.'~Harry Dresden

I haven't found it yet, lolI kind of want to publish my own. One for each jurisdiction with (Greek/Slavic/Ukrainian/lolcat, whatever) on one side and English on the other. It would be hard bound with loose pages in a decent size, available in leather for the fancy folks.

Even better "Build your own Prayer Book" with all the common prayers and such in whatever languages and binding you want... with ribbons. 400 ribbons! GOA? We have there versions. Old Beliver? Check! OCA but your hearth belongs to ROCOR? We can do that!

^___^

That is a neat idea.

And in the age of electronic files, not even that hard!

I just don't know how to go about doing it. I'll actually look into it. If someone beats me to it, I ain't even mad!

Can somebody please confirm if this Orthodox Prayer Book is the same as what is sometimes called the "Svit" prayer book? I looked for an ISBN, but it only lists a SKU number. I am trying to confirm more details, like how many pages, what prayers are in the book (complete list, if known), quality of the binding, readability of the font, if this is an appropriate book for ROCOR/MP laity, etc.

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"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Thank you peacenprayer. I'm guessing the book I linked to is simply a later edition than this one. I went ahead and ordered it. I have a few prayer books at home, but none of them Eastern Orthodox, so I wanted to get one. The parish I have been visiting uses both English and Church Slavonic, so I thought this might be suitable. Thanks again.

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"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

For those who are not yet aware of it, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada has recently published a bi-lingual update of the "Good Shepherd" prayer book in 2013. This looks promising and may be the most complete Orthodox prayer book available in English. Below are some links:

I also have the Divine Services of the Orthodox Church (St. Tikhon's), the Orthodox Daily Prayers (St. Tikhon's), and a book of akathists in English on my tablet.

I don't have an ideal prayer book, but I think that "The Svit Prayer Book" will fit the bill nicely because I am currently attending a ROCOR parish and I need the English and Church Slavonic side by side because I've gotten lost several times during services.